FORT WAYNE, Ind. -- The Siena Heights football team upset 25th-ranked St. Francis (Ind.) on the road on Saturday afternoon. The Saints (2-2, 1-0 MSFA) started Mideast League play with a 27-17 win over the Cougars (1-2, 0-1 MSFA). It is the second straight victory for SHU this season as well as over USF in the series between the two teams.
Ryan Minor finished the game 12-21 for 130 yards and two touchdowns through the air. He also scored the Saints' only rushing touchdown to total three scores on the afternoon. Jared Jordan led the ground game with 14 carries for 47 yards. Kaleb Jefferson had 16 carries for 46 yards in the winning effort. Eric Williams II led the receiving corps with five grabs for 113 yards and a touchdown. Sam Cousino recorded three receptions for 24 yards and a touchdown. Daneille Lowe Jr. led the defense with eight tackles, one for loss, and a pass break up. Trenton Morrow and Andrew McGaughy each had six stops. McGaughy also tallied a sack and two tackles for loss. The SHU defense totaled five sacks in the game, the most so far this season for the unit. Vincent Walker, Joseph Wharton, Andrew Loria, and Antonio Simley each recorded a sack to contribute to the pass rush.
The Saints opening drive was a long, 14-play, 57-yarder that sputtered just outside the red zone at the USF 24-yard line. Anthony Secchi missed his 41-yard field-goal attempt wide left and the game remained scoreless. Minor's pass was picked off by St. Francis (Ind.) on the following drive and gave the Cougars the ball at the SHU 15-yard line. Aidan Hosler made a 33-yard field goal to give the home team a 3-0 lead with 2:46 left in the first quarter.
Secchi got a second field-goal attempt from 44-yards out and this time, he hit it to tie the score at three in the opening minute of the second quarter. Secchi hit a second kick from 43-yards out late in the second to give Siena Heights its first lead of the game, 6-3. A 1-yard rush by the Cougars allowed St. Francis (Ind.) to recapture the lead, 10-6. The score would remain there as the teams entered the locker room at halftime.
Minor retook the lead for SHU with a 14-yard touchdown pass to Cousino that capped a 10-play, 47-yard drive in the third quarter. A 41-yard touchdown toss to Williams II extended the Saints lead to two scores, 20-10, with 3:31 left on the clock. USF blocked a punt and returned it for a 36-yard score to cut the deficit to 20-17 with 5:39 left in the game. Minor punched in the final score with 1:51 left in the fourth with a 10-yard touchdown scamper that sealed the win for SHU.
Up Next
The SHU football team remains on the road next week when they face the No. 5 Concordia (Mich.) Cardinals in Ann Arbor, Michigan on Saturday, October 9. The kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m., EST.
